Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theories

The Multiple Intelligences concepts learning styles models offer relatively simple
and accessible methods to understand and explain people's preferred ways to
learn and develop. Occasionally well-intentioned people will write that the use of
such models and tests is wrong because it 'pigeon-holes' people, and ignores the
point that we are all a mixture of styles and preferences, and not just one single
type, which is true. Please remember that over-reliance on, or extreme
interpretation of, any methodology or tool can be counter-productive.
In the case of the Multiple Intelligences model, and arguably to greater extent
VAK (because VAK is such a simple model), remember that these concepts and
tools are aids to understanding overall personality, preferences and strengths which will almost always be a mixture in each individual person.

Multiple intelligences theory

Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory was first published in Howard
Gardner's book, Frames Of Mind (1983), and quickly became established as a
classical model by which to understand and teach many aspects of human
intelligence, learning style, personality and behaviour - in education and industry.
Howard Gardner initially developed his ideas and theory on multiple intelligences
as a contribution to psychology, however Gardner's theory was soon embraced
by education, teaching and training communities, for whom the appeal was
immediate and irresistible - a sure sign that Gardner had created a classic
reference work and learning model.
Howard Gardner was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania USA in 1943 to German
Jewish immigrant parents, and entered Harvard in 1961, where, after Gardner's
shift from history into social relations (which included psychology, sociology, and
anthropology) he met his early mentor Erik Erikson. Later Gardner was also
influenced by psychologists Jeane Piaget, Jerome Bruner, and philosopher Nelson
Goodman, with whom Gardner co-founded 'Project Zero' in 1967 (focusing on
studies of artistic thought and creativity). Project Zero's 1970's 'Project on
Human Potential', whose heady aim was to address 'the state of scientific
knowledge concerning human potential and its realization', seems to have been
the platform from which Gardner's multiple intelligences ideas grew, and were
subsequently published in Gardner's Frames Of Mind 1983 book. A wonderful
example of 'thinking big' if ever there was one.
At the time I write/revise this summary (2005-2012) Howard Gardner is the (John
H and Elisabeth A) Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard

Graduate School of Education; he serves as adjunct Professor at Harvard

University, Boston University School of Medicine, and remains senior director of
Harvard Project Zero. Gardner has received honorary degrees from at least
twenty foreign institutions, and has written over twenty highly regarded books on
the human mind, learning and behaviour. How ironic then that Gardner, who has
contributed so much to the understanding of people and behaviour, was born
(according to his brief auto-biographical paper 'One Way To Make Social
Scientist', 2003), cross-eyed, myopic, colour-blind and unable to recognise faces.
There's hope for us all.
Since establishing his original multiple intelligences model, Howard Gardner has
continued to develop his thinking and theory, so you will see references to more
than the seven intelligences nowadays. Gardner most recently refers to their
being eight or nine intelligences.

howard gardner's multiple intelligences theory

This simple grid diagram illustrates Howard Gardner's model of the seven
Multiple Intelligences at a glance.
intelligence type
Linguistic
Logical-Mathematical
Musical
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Spatial-Visual
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
based on Howard Gardner's seven-intelligences model
are available below in MSExcel self-calculating format, manual versions in
MSExcel and pdf, and manual test versions for young people.
Free multiple intelligences tests

Gardner said that multiple intelligences were not limited to the original seven,
and he has since considered the existence and definitions of other possible
intelligences in his later work. Despite this, Gardner seems to have stopped short
of adding to the seven (some might argue, with the exception of Naturalist
Intelligence) with any clearly and fully detailed additional intelligence definitions.
This is not because there are no more intelligences - it is because of the difficulty

of adequately and satisfactorily defining them, since the additional intelligences

are rather more complex than those already evidenced and defined.
Not surprisingly, commentators and theorists continually debate and interpret
potential additions to the model, and this is why you might see more than seven
intelligences listed in recent interpretations of Gardner's model. As mentioned
above, Naturalist Intelligence seems most popularly considered worthy of
inclusion of the potential additional 'Gardner' intelligences.

gardner's multiple intelligences detail

The more detailed diagram below expands the detail for the original seven
intelligences shown above, and also suggests ideas for applying the model and
underpinning theories, so as to optimise learning and training, design
accelerated learning methods, and to assess training and learning suitability and
effectiveness.
intelligence type
1

Linguistic

Logical-Mathematical

Musical

Bodily-Kinesthetic

Spatial-Visual

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Roles and intrapersonal intelligence: Given that a 'role' tends to imply

external style/skills, engagement, etc., the intrapersonal ability is less liable to
define or suggest a certain role or range of roles than any of the other
characteristics. That said, there is a clear correlation between intrapersonal
ability/potential and introverted non-judgemental roles/working styles.
Intrapersonal capability might also be seen as the opposite of ego and selfprojection. Self-awareness is a prerequisite for self-discipline and selfimprovement. Intrapersonal capacity enables an emotionally mature ('grownup') response to external and internal stimuli. The intrapersonal characteristic
might therefore be found among (but most definitely not extending to all)
counsellors, helpers, translators, teachers, actors, poets, writers, musicians,
artists, and also any other role to which people can bring emotional
maturity, which commonly manifests as adaptability, flexibility, facilitation,
reflection, and other 'grown-up' behaviours. There are also associations
between intrapersonal capacity and Erikson's 'generative' perspective, and to
an extentMaslow's self-actualization, that is to say: both of these 'life-stages'
surely demand a reasonably strong level of self-awareness, without which
adapting one's personal life, outlook and responses to one's environment is not
easy at all.